


A Lot Can Change in a Year

by upsteadheart



Category: Chicago PD (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-11
Updated: 2021-02-11
Packaged: 2021-03-18 04:46:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29362719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/upsteadheart/pseuds/upsteadheart
Summary: When a sudden tragedy rips through the Intelligence unit, major changes come to the unit and its members.
Relationships: Jay Halstead & Hailey Upton, Jay Halstead/Hailey Upton
Comments: 7
Kudos: 73





	A Lot Can Change in a Year

When Jay stepped into his girlfriend’s place using his spare key, Hailey’s head immediately snapped up. She turned off the late-night TV runs she was watching in an attempt to distract herself, then stood up and looked at her boyfriend questioningly.

“He’s gonna be okay.” Jay assured her immediately, as Hailey let out a deep breath of relief, mirroring the ones Jay, Kev and Adam had released at the hospital, after sending their girls home for what could’ve potentially been a really late night after the already emotionally draining day they had.

Jay hung up his coat, leaving his keys by the door and coming over to sit with her on the couch. He took his girlfriend’s hand in his, needing to feel her more than anything right now.

“Thankfully, all the bullets he took but one caught his vest, so none of them were lethal.” He explained.

“But one.” Hailey’s brow furrowed. Jay released another breath and nodded. “The last bullet capped him in the knee.” He told her, making a gasp escape the blonde.

“There was no salvaging his patella. So, they had to remove it, and put in a prosthetic. With time, and loads of PT his leg can regain enough strength and range of motion to walk and go about his daily business.

But not back to policework. Docs at MED suggested he consider retiring.” Jay clarified. “Man…” Hailey dropped, still trying to come to terms with the events of the day and now this.

“The job is all Serge had left to look forward to every day.” Hailey brought up, Jay nodding in agreement. “D’you talk to him after? How’s he doin’ with all that?” She asked.

He nodded again. “Yeah, he uh… Considering the Voight we all know who balks at people tellin’ him what to do, he was fairly calm about the whole thing.

I can tell you from personal experience, being shot at like that makes you real thankful real fast that it wasn’t worse.” Hailey squeezed his hand tighter at that, another memory coming to mind she’d rather not remember.

“It did bring up another conversation, though.” Jay brought up, making Hailey look back up at him again, seeing the less-than happy look on her partner’s face.

Jay gulped slightly. “He wants me to take over the unit, Hails.” Her eyes widened at that, her jaw falling slightly ajar. “As sergeant?” Hailey clarified, to which Jay signaled another yes. “And Miller couldn’t have been more excited about the idea when Voight brought it up.” He told her.

“Jay, that’s huge. That’s amazing.” She told him. “Is it?” Jay brought up, stunning her with his reaction.

Hailey thought for sure this was something he’d want. Especially considering the ways he’d already begun to slowly assert himself in the unit over the last couple of years, and do so with nothing but respect in return from the rest of the team.

“What are you talkin’ about?” She questioned. “I do this, I become your boss. I become our friends’ boss. What do you think happens to our relationship then?” Jay suggested.

Now she was getting where his head was at. “You don’t seriously think, that after five years being partnered, and our team not having had a clue we were together for the first six months of our relationship because of how well we separated work and home, we wouldn’t be able to make that work. Do you?” Hailey challenged.

Jay hunched his shoulders, his head just way too overwhelmed at this point to conjure up a solid thought. “Jay.” She dropped her hand to his shoulder, climbing over to straddle his lap and lace her arms around his neck.

He wrapped his around her waist, holding her up against his chest. “I’m guessing since this is weighing so heavily on your mind, you brought this up with the Superintendent?” Hailey inquired.

“Yeah.” Jay answered her. “To which she said…” The blonde asked him. “She said, that given our record, she’d be doing the CPD and the people of Chicago a grave disservice by splitting us up.” A small smile crossed Hailey’s features at that.

“She told me that if I do this, and I really do take the sergeant’s exam, pass and take over the unit, and we still wanna stay together, our record’s earned us her turning a blind eye to the fraternization policy.

But, she’d personally watch us like a hawk, making sure we continue to keep things separate and the lines stay unblurred. And if at any point, she feels we fail to do so, you’re out.” Jay repeated the Deputy Superintendent’s words.

Hailey nodded her head, clearly unfazed by the threat. “You don’t look worried.” Jay suggested. She smiled warmly, her dimples full. “I’m not.” She told him.

Jay quirked a brow. How could she not be worried about the prospect of losing her job in intelligence? A job of this magnitude, that she’d worked tirelessly her entire career to earn a place in. Voight didn’t hand intelligence badges to just anyone. And he’d handed her one within a day of knowing her. That said something about the detective.

“Before I came into intelligence, if I’d been given the ultimatum of ‘it’s him or the job,’ fuck that, he’d be out with the trash first thing in the morning.” Jay actually managed to laugh.

A short laugh of her own escaped from between her lips. Jay did that to her often. “I’m not who I was five years ago, and thank God for that. My priorities chart doesn’t sit the way that it did when I was back in Robbery-Homicide.

I let the job define me, I let the job be the singular source for my happiness and pride in myself. Then I came to 21, fell in love, and my life changed forever.

We’ve talked about it here and there, never with serious timeframes or details. But someday, we’re gonna get married, maybe have a couple kids a little while after that, and it’s gonna be you and me to the end of the line.

And that is so much more important to me than a job or some title.” Hailey told him, making Jay’s heart clench and tears prick at his eyes.

An undeniable smile crossed his features. “I love you so much, you know that?” Jay professed to her. Hailey beamed at him, pressing a kiss against his lips.

“I love you too. More than anything in the world. And that’s why I wanna see you chase your dreams, get all the things you deserve in life, and be right there with you to celebrate it all.” Hailey expressed.

She stroked her thumb over the hot skin of his neck, smiling into his eyes. “So. Tomorrow morning, you’re gonna call Serge and tell him you’re gonna do this. Then you’re gonna call Miller and tell her to sign you up for the Sergeant’s exam.

You’re gonna study your ass off, and I’m gonna be right there to help you study every single ounce of it. Then when you ace your exam, cause common, we all know you will…” Jay chuckled.

“I’m gonna be right there with the rest of our family to scream as loud as humanly possible when they pin that star on your chest.” He laughed whole-heartedly that, dropping his forehead against her shoulder.

“Then you’re gonna run this unit with integrity, justice, fairness, and a whoooooole lot of ass-kicking.” They both grinned.

“And I’m gonna be right there beside you, every step of the way. We’ve got this, Jay.” Hailey assured him.

Jay tilted his head and pressed a soft, slow kiss to her cheek, hugging her tightly in his embrace. Hailey clung to her boyfriend, having needed to feel his arms around her all day.

“I don’t know what horseshoe I sat on to deserve you…” Jay breathed against her cheek. She smiled into the skin of his neck, feeling the exact same way.

Hailey’s eyes fell closed, taking in the warm security of his presence and finally letting herself start to fade. “Me neither…” She dropped.

“Common, Jay, you know this!” Hailey let out frustratingly. “Hails, can’t you see I’m trying my best!?” Jay shot back, his level of frustration just as elevated as hers, and slowly rising above even that.

Maybe this wasn’t such a good idea after all, she thought to herself. “Jay, you promised me. You promised that if we put it off this morning before work, we’d pick it back up before bed tonight.” Hailey reminded him.

“I know what I said, Hailey! Things happen and change in a day, that’s life!” He needed to stop yelling at her before things began to escalate too far, but emotions were high and they were getting harder to control.

Hailey dropped the book to the bed, not caring if she lost her page. She moved to straddle his lap, her arms around his neck and her hand on the back of his neck. His comfort position.

“We’ve been practicing almost every night for the last month, Jay. Why are you so upset tonight all of a sudden?” Hailey asked him, her tone soft and unaccusatory.

Jay released a deep sigh, trying to bring his heart rate back down. He stroked his hand down her back over the black lace nightie she had on, her touch on his skin helping bring his head back down.  
“The exam is Friday morning.” Hailey nodded, well aware from having seen the date on the calendar on the fridge, in her phone, on both their desks and everywhere else she could possibly see it.

“I just…” He trailed off. “Voight and the whole team’s gonna be there for the ceremony if and when I get it. Will’s gonna be there and of course you’re gonna be there.” Hailey nodded her head.

“I just kinda wish my mom coulda been there too.” His eyes glossed over. Hailey immediately felt a pang in her heart, her stomach dropping to her feet.

“Oh, Jay…” She dropped. “And it’s not just this. It’s this, and it’s not being able to tell her when I’m gonna propose to you, not having her there when I marry you on the happiest day of my life, not being able to tell her when she would have been a grand-parent for the first time… it just really sucks, ya know?”

She did know. Not that she’d lost either of her own parents, despite her own challenges. But she’d made peace with her parents being a package deal, and as long as she kept her father locked of her life, beyond a text or a call every few days, her mother would miss out on a fair bit of her future endeavors too.

“She’s always gonna be with us, Jay. Every step we take in our life together, she’ll always be up there and part of in some sort of way.” He nodded.

Hailey pondered for a moment. “You still have that pearl necklace you showed me that she always wore?” Jay’s brow furrowed at that, but he nodded in confirmation.

“Would you let me wear it the day of the ceremony? It won’t make her be there any more than possible, but… At least you’d be able to see some piece of here there that day.” Hailey hesitantly brought up, hoping she wouldn’t hurt him with her suggestion.

But instead, Jay lit up a little. “Yeah. That’s actually a really nice idea, Hails.” Hailey smiled at that.

“I wish I got to meet her.” Hailey expressed. Jay stroked his thumb against her soft cheek. “Yeah, I wish you did too. You’d have gotten along really well.” He laughed softly, getting a tad choked up.

At the thought a couple tears pricked at Hailey’s eyes too. “The way we go back and forth at each other and take little jabs all the time, you’d have been thick as thieves, and I’d be pretending to be just absolutely exasperated with both of you.” Hailey laughed at the scene it painted in her head.

“You think she would’ve approved of me?” Hailey asked him sincerely. A smile broke across his face at that. “God, Hails, she’d have loved you. You’re just like her.” Jay told her.

Hailey lit up at that. “Really? How so?” She chewed her lip. “She was gorgeous. Absolutely beautiful.” Jay told her. “My mom was full of life. I wasn’t around towards the end, but Will says she never lost her humour or her ability to make any dark day bright. And that’s you.” Jay told his girlfriend, pressing a kiss against her head.

“Can we finish up those practice questions?” Jay asked Hailey, getting a sudden jolt of motivation at the thought of his mom.

Hailey smiled, reaching for the book she’d discarded of, placing the book in her lap and looking for the page she’d last been on.

The current sight of the courthouse was enough to make Jay melt. His team and his brother had decided they’d be there the day of his promotion.

But he hadn’t expected there to be easily three dozen people here to celebrate his promotion today, and it touched his heart to see how many people truly cared about him.

His team and their friends from 51 done up in their dress blues, his friends and family from MED dressed in their Sunday best.

And of course, Hailey, ever the stunning Greek goddess, dawning a simple yet elegant knee-length black dress with matching black heels, her long blonde hair down in bouncy curls and her already stunning facial features accentuated by the smoky eye she’d spent half an hour putting on in the bathroom this morning. Her perfect image of course complete with his mother’s pearls around her neck.

Deputy Superintendent Samantha Miller stepped up to the podium, addressing the room. “If everyone could please find their seats, we’re ready to begin.” She spoke into the mic, making the room go silent as everyone found a pew sit in.

Hailey sat beside Jay with her arm looped through his. Her hand resting over his knee, clad in the fabric of his dress pants. Jay pressed a soft kiss to her temple, as they gave their 100% rapt attention to the woman before them.

“Four months ago, devastation ripped through the 21st district’s intelligence unit, when Sergeant Hank Voight made the ultimate sacrifice a cop can make, taking fire in the field, which resulted in a career-ending injury.

As you can see, Sergeant Voight is alive and well here with us today.” Miller opened, as the courthouse filled with applause.

“The night Hank Voight was delivered that troubling news, just as he had throughout the more than eight years he ran the Intelligence unit, put the well-being of his team first, and asked his best detective to take over their unit.” She continued.

Hailey gave Jay’s knee a slight squeezed, making him flash his girlfriend a short smile. “For the next four months, Detective Jay Halstead took on the initiative and took over charge of their unit, the team not only keeping up but doubling their case-closure rate under his command, ridding the streets of twice as many criminals and making the streets we walk daily a safer and better place to live.” Samantha commended, another round of applause growing.

“Detective Halstead also managed to accomplish all this, while at the same time studying and preparing for the Chicago Police Department’s annual Sergeant’s exam. The only detective, I might add, who this year achieved the very rare perfect score on the exam.” She complimented, smiling down at the detective in question.

“It is for these reasons mentioned and so very many more that we are all here today to bear witness to one of the Chicago Police Department’s most accomplished servicemen taking a step up in rank as Sergeant of the 21st district’s Intelligence unit.” She concluded, as the crowd broke out once again.

Jay turned his head to the left, seeking out Hailey’s comforting orbs as the emotions rose in him. “At this time, before we have Detective Halstead take the Sergeant’s oath here today, there are a few individuals who have expressed their desire to say a few words about their soon-to-be Sergeant.

Beginning with his predecessor, Sergeant Voight.” Miller presented, as Kevin and Adam helped Voight up to the podium, making sure his cane helped him get up securely.

Voight cleared his throat, as he began his own speech. “It was almost eight years ago to the day that I asked Halstead’s boss over at Organized Crime to let him come work for me in Intelligence.

And I shoulda known from the way I had to practically pry him from the man’s fingers what I and the rest of our team were in for.” Short laughter followed his opening.

“Intelligence has had a lot of makeovers over the last eight years. We’ve brought in some cops, and we’ve given just as many the boot. In some cases, we had family members ripped from us.” He paused, as memories of Jules, Jin, Nadia and Olinsky came to everybody’s minds.

“But in every one of the darkest and brightest moments this unit has seen, Jay Halstead was there. Never one to leave his family alone or shy away from a challenge.

About two years back, knowin’ I had less years left on the force than I had behind me, I started thinkin’ about who I wanted to take my place as head of this unit.

The answer was as clear then as it is now. So, I started groomin’ him for the job. Which… admittedly coulda made a couple people nervous.” He joked, making laughter break out across the room.

“But it was clear to me, that Halstead would take every note I gave him, consider every word of advice I could offer… But he’d ultimately run this unit as he best saw fit.

And seein’ how he’s done it the last few months, I am 100% confident and at peace with the decision I made and whose pair of hands I’m leavin’ my unit in. Knowing Jay Halstead is the future of the 21st districts Intelligence Unit, I can retire in peace, knowing it’s in the best hands possible.” He finished as the crowd before him applauded.

Jay momentarily released his girlfriend’s hand, stepping over to his sergeant, as the two men embraced and exchanged a quick word only the two of them could hear.

“Thank you, Sergeant.” Samantha beamed, stepping back over to the podium. “Finally, before we honour 21’s new Sergeant, his partner has a few words of her own.” Miller announced.

Jay looked to his partner, having had no prior knowledge of Hailey making a speech here today. She smiled at him through the applause and whistles around them, then momentarily left his grasp to step up to the podium herself.

“Hey, y’all.” Hailey opened, smiling that thousand-watt grin at everyone in the crowd, instantly lighting up the room.

“I, unlike our Sergeant don’t have a speech prepared nor any cue cards in front of me. I’m Greek, I like to do things spontaneously.” Everyone laughed, her boyfriend included.

She looked over at her partner, feeling her insides melt at the mere sight of him. “I was 12 the day I knew I wanted to be a cop. The typical TV drama backstory, sees crime and violence as a kid, case sticks with her all her life, she becomes a cop to bring justice to victims just like she was…

And that’s all I knew for the first… eleven years of my career as a cop. Married to the job, every second of my every day dedicated to protecting the people of the city I love. My happiness dependant on being a cop.

Then, what feels like a lifetime ago, but that was only a little over five years ago now, my boss walked up to my desk and told me, ‘there’s a robbery-homicide over at the Credit Union on North Michigan and North Schiller.

Unit that took it over’s got a hardass for a boss, so I’m sending you to play defense and make sure the case doesn’t get jacked from under us.’” Everyone laughed at the story, including Hailey herself.

“Walkin’ into that bank, is the first moment I ever laid eyes on Detective Jay Halstead. And I had… not a clue the ways he would change my life forever.” She got slightly choked, as the resounding sound of ‘awn’ came from everyone in the pews.

Hailey swiped under her eye, wiping away a tear she hadn’t planned on releasing. With a single breath she pulled herself back together.

“It became fairly clear pretty quickly that at the time we were partnered, Jay was going through one of the roughest patches of his life and I was making the career change of mine.

With so much goin’ on in both of our lives, we should’ve been a disaster to have working together. Heads distracted, makin’ mistakes left and right, and split up on the same day we were partnered.

But we didn’t. And we weren’t.” She smiled. “Jay and I found our rhythm on the first raid we ever executed together and saw some pretty awful things that day too.

Everybody deserves to find their person in this insane world we live in. They can be your best friend, a romantic partner, a work partner… Or if you’re as lucky as I get to be, they’re all three combined.” At that everyone looked to their significant others, feeling Hailey Anne Upton’s words ring so true.

“It’s having Jay by my side for the last five years that got me through everything that’s been thrown at us and our family at 21.

And that is why when Jay told me that Voight asked him to take the Sergeant’s exam and then take over Intelligence, and that he wasn’t sure he wanted to do it, I made damn sure his mind was changed that night.

Because Sergeant Jay Halstead, is the man we need as our leader. And if you ask anybody else on our team and at 21, they’d agree in a heartbeat.” Hailey beamed.  
Hailey turned her eyes to her partners, both sets dampening by the second. “Jay Halstead, I love you more than anything on the face of the earth. I’m a better cop… because of you. Today’s the beginning of a new chapter, and a new adventure together. And I can’t wait to see where it takes us.”

As the room exploded with applause and cheers, Jay rose from his seat, lifting Hailey up off the platform and into his arms.

Hers locked around his neck as he pressed a kiss to her lips, passionate but at the same time oh so soft and sweet. So many unverbalized thoughts and intentions behind it.

Before they drew too much attention Jay knew would make her uncomfortable, he pulled his head back, smiling into her sharp eyes and brought them back to their seats.

“I don’t think I could have said a single word better to describe the man we’re honouring here today.” Sam stood back up at the podium.

“And now, ladies and gentlemen, the reason we are gathered here today. Detective Halstead, in your last moments as Detective, will you and your partner please join us up here?” She smiled at him, as the officiant stepped up beside the deputy superintendent.

With his partner by his side, Jay stepped up towards the podium, facing the officiant. “Detective, please place your hand on the holy book.” She requested, as Hailey stood beside him and held the bible up to him as Jay placed his hand open-palmed on the cover.

“Please repeat after me.” The woman requested. “I do hereby pledge and declare that I will support the Constitution of the US.” She began, to which Jay repeated back to her. “And the Constitution of the State of Illinois,” they recited next.

“That I will faithfully discharge the duties of a Chicago Police Department according to the best of my ability, so help me god.” Jay concluded. The officiant nodded at him, smiling warmly. Then turned and nodded to Miller, before stepping back out of the way.

Miller opened up a black velvet box, pulling out a shiny silver star and handing it to Hailey.

Hailey took the pin from the Superintendent and beamed proudly at her partner before pinning the star on his chest.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Samantha beamed, “Presenting, Sergeant Jay Halstead.” She announced, as their friends and family launched into a standing ovation, applauding, cheering and whistling.

Jay looked back at his partner, his hands going to her hips, as he kissed her gleefully.

After the ceremony, the whole gang of them gathered at Molly’s, where Hermann and Stella worked the busy bar. Will’s loud mouth had spread word of Jay’s promotion to the old neighbourhood, sending a whole mass of them down to Molly’s to join in the festivities.

“Those were some real nice speeches today, y’all.” Kevin told Voight and Hailey, as the team sat around their usual table at the local watering hole.

“Not the type to enjoy having three dozen sets of eyes on me at once, but under the circumstances.” Hailey smiled up at her boyfriend from where she sat in his embrace with Jay’s arm around her shoulders.

“Speakin’ of which.” Jay told her, depositing his beer on the table. “Hails, can I talk to you a minute?” She nodded, following his lead, stepping down from the stool. “We’ll be right back guys.” Jay assured the team, leaving them behind looking confused.

-

Jay led them out back to the currently empty patio. “What’s up?” Hailey asked him. “What? I can’t just want a couple minutes with my girl?” He grinned, wrapping hid arms around her waist and bringing her into his embrace.

“Hm, well, when you put it that way…” Hailey, looped her arms around his neck, dropping her lips to his. “I’m so proud of you, Jay.” Hailey whispered against him lips.

He pulled his head back slightly and smiled into her sharp green eyes. “I wanted to thank you.” Jay told her.

Hailey’s brow furrowed, not sure what he meant. “None of this would’ve been possible without you, Hails.” She smiled adorably, her dimples coming through.

“I am never not gonna fight you when you’re resisting getting things you deserve.” Hailey told him. “I know you come from a childhood where you were used to never being enough and being told you weren’t good enough to have the things you wanted.

But I hope today is day one of realizing that you’re an incredible human being, Jay. And you deserve to be celebrated for it like you were today.” She expressed.

“What can I say? I’m a work in progress.” Jay joked, making her laugh. “We both are. That’s part of why we work so well together. You fill in what’s flawed about me and vice versa.” Hailey suggested.

Jay nodded. “Speaking of… together.” He returned, bringing her arms down from his neck and holding both of her hands in his.

“This new chapter is gonna come with bumps, and turns, and everything else a rollercoaster would.” She chuckled at that. “And there’s nobody else I’d rather have on this ride with me than you.” Jay conveyed to his girlfriend.

“I don’t foresee anything about the next… year slowing down in intelligence. And with all the craziness the last few months have been, moving in together and having our sanctuary to escape to at the end of the day is my favourite place to be. Alone, with you.

No matter how sure things at 21 are, how sure our careers are… I need one thing to be for sure, and that’s us. Our thing, that is the only sure thing I’ve had in the last five years. And truthfully, that’s all I need to be happy.

So, while we’re here right now, while things are calm and no storm has started yet…” Jay released one hand and reached into his pocket, Hailey’s eye immediately glossing over.

“Jay…” She dropped in the lowest of breathless whispers, the words barely coming up her throat. He looked back at his best girl, tears of his own filling his eyes as he slowly got down on one knee.

Hailey’s free hand came up over her mouth, her lip quivering behind her already shaky digits.

“Hailey Anne Upton… Will you make me the happiest and luckiest man alive, and marry me?” Jay proposed. As the tears cascaded down her cheeks, Hailey nodded her head.

“Yeah?” He checked. “Yes.” She cried, a sharp sob falling from between her lips, as she fell into his arms.

Jay caught her as she fell, lifting her up into his arms and hugging her impossibly tight. “I love you so much.” Hailey sobbed into the crook of his neck.

“I love you too, baby girl.” Jay breathed into her hair. Eventually he finally put her back down on own two feet and managed to slip the ring onto her finger.

But the sight of it almost set her off again. “This is what I think it is, isn’t it?” Hailey asked him. She didn’t have to verbalize her theory, Jay knew. And he nodded to confirm it to her.

“If she were around, she’d have given it to you herself.” Jay joked, making her laugh through the tears.

Hailey smiled down at the minimal, simple diamond ring seemingly perfectly sized to fit her finger. “I love it.” She told him.

“Common.” Jay took her by the hand, leading her back into the bar.

“There you are!” Will released, as Jay and Hailey stepped back into the bar. “Scuse me for wanting a little time with my girl.” Jay poked back at his brother, holding Hailey’s hand in his.

“Well, now that you’re here. Everybody! Glasses up!” The doctor called over the bar, as their patrons raised a variety of different drinks to the sky.

“To, my little brother, Sergeant Jay Halstead.” Will grinned proudly. “Sláinte, my brother.” He beamed at Jay.

Cheers filled the bar, as everyone toasted and drank. “Common. SPEECH, SPEECH,” Adam started, everyone else not two seconds behind.

“Alright, alright.” Jay chuckled, as the bar quieted back down. “Well, first off. Serge,” Jay turned to Voight, “thank you so much for this opportunity. It’s an absolutely honour and I swear I will spend the rest of my career trying to fulfill that.” He told his former boss, the older man smiling back at him.

“To our team, our family at 21,” he turned to look at the table where sat Adam, Kev, Kim and Platt, “in so many other units where they’d be faced with the situation we’ve had the last four months, one of the detectives suddenly being in charge. Coulda gone wrong a hundred million different ways.

But y’all were beyond supportive from day one and I truly couldn’t have gotten through the last few months without you guys. I love you all so much, and there’s no unit in any other city in the world I’d rather lead.” Jay told them, the gang all raising a glass to that.

“The rest of you guys,” Jay addressed the bar as a whole, “protecting the streets of Chicago is not a mission carried out by one house and one house only. Without our brothers and sisters at firehouse 51 to call on or our gang at Gaffney MED who take care of our victims and even suspects sometimes. And who have saved the lives of our families more times than we can count.

Thank you for everything.” Jay told them sincerely.

“Baby girl,” he turned to Hailey as she stepped up beside him, “you are my smiling ray of sunshine, keeping everything bright on the darkest days imaginable. You’re my partner in crime in more ways than I can count, Hails. I’m lost without you by my side, keeping me grounded and leading me back home when my head gets thrown to the clouds sometimes. There is nobody on the face of the earth I’d rather do this thing with every day.

And to make the next year all that much more exciting,” Jay told them, “we’re getting married.” He announced, raising up Hailey’s hand, making her shiny engagement ring sparkle under the lights of the bar.

The four walls of Molly’s vibrated with jubilation, as the girls ran towards Hailey, immediately gushing over the ring, while the guys all crowded around Jay, congratulating their friends.

One Year Later…

Jay poked his head out of his office after hanging up with the superintendent. “Hails.” He called, making his wife look up at him.

“Got a minute?” She nodded. “Yeah, course.” Hailey smiled at her partner, stepping into the office. Jay closed the door behind them, giving the two some privacy.

“Am I in here as your partner or your wife?” The blonde asked him. Jay chuckled. “Both, actually. But first… How’s our little girl doin’?” He asked her, his hands holding her slightly swelled stomach, pressing a kiss to her bump.

Hailey beamed. It never got old seeing Jay turn into an absolutely teddy bear when it came to their daughter and she wasn’t even born yet. She could hardly wait to see him go full daddy-mode when she finally came into the world.

“Uh, ya know… Being cuffed to a desk isn’t much fun and if I have to read too much more paperwork I might just go cross-eyed. But if it means keeping her safe…” Hailey smiled, rubbing her stomach.

Jay nodded. “Well, that’s actually what I had you come in here for.” Hailey’s head looked up at that. “I just got off the phone with the superintendent.

She approved a change I wanna make in the unit.” Jay told her. Hailey looked at him wearily at that. “Jay, if you’re about to put me on paid leave three months early –” “No, no, babe. Nothing like that.” He assured her, both hands on her shoulders.

“Have a seat.” He helped her into the chair across from his desk and sat in the other one beside her. “Hails, through every step of the way to my becoming sergeant, you were by my side. Helped me study, keep my head above water, get as prepared as I could possibly be… And then every second since I started the new job.” She nodded, not yet seeing his point.

“And I know you are your wit’s end on desk duty, not able to be in the field…” Jay empathized. “Hails, I want you to take the test next month and be my co-sergeant.” She froze in place.

“J – Jay, I –” She shook her head. “Look.” He breathed softly, taking her hand. “You don’t have to tell me in the next five seconds that you’ll do it or not.” He assured her.

“But I pretty much already run everything by you when I’m trying to figure things out, you help me with paperwork all the time, hold down the fort when I’m in meetings… You’re basically doin’ the job without the title and the office, Hails.” Jay made her see.

He had a point there. “Take a couple days to think about it. And if you’re not ready to, or you’d rather wait till after the baby’s born to think about it again… I won’t think any less of you.” Hailey nodded.

“I’ll think about it.” She told him. “Seriously? Or are you brushing it off?” Jay asked her. “No, really, I will. There are worst concepts in the world than running a unit with you.” Hailey smiled encouragingly.

“Alright then.” Jay smiled back, pressing a kiss against her cheek. “Get back to work, Detective.” Jay teased. “Watch yourself.” His wife threw back with a pointed finger, making her husband laugh.

“See ya later.” Hailey smiled at him on the way out, leaving him behind thinking.

Yeah. There were worse realities out there than running his unit with his wife and being five months out from bringing their daughter into the world indeed.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
